(95 S420)

What is the purpose of plastic wheel weights that are factory used on some Mercedes and BMW?

Do I have to go back to a MB dealer for tire mount and balance to get this type of weights, or do some other tire stores also use them. It's time for new tires on my 95 S420 and I was hoping that perhaps some other tire stores used this type of weight. I assume that the plastic coating does not mar the wheel rim lip with corrosion as much.

My rims have been stripped of ALL clear and silver paint, showing only the stainless steel thin plating. I just keep them waxed frequently now. Wax seem to cut off the brake dust easily also.

DanielW

If you have real nice wheels and want to maintain them you remove the weights that are clamped on the rim if you are taking your wheel in for a new tire, because a tire jockey may slam the wheel onto a tire removing device that drags the weight around the edge and scrapes it all to heck during a tire removal process.
Then make absolutely certain the shop does dynamic balancing not a static (bubble) balance. A gas station is the place you may find a static balancer (cheap) but you never know. The best balancing machine is a Hunter 9700, but other models will do a good job if operated by an experienced technician. If you had a wheel that had inherent imbalance (wire wheels for example) or tires that had some issue with off balance then a 9700 would be the only thing recommended. Finally using stick-on weights behind the spokes is the best weight to use if you are concerned about visible weights and if your wheels ever have a tendency to rub on the inside rims due to oversizing then conventional weights may be scraped off. Before you think an adhesive weight might come loose, think about centripetal force thet makes them stay on. Amazing devices, stick ons are the best for nice wheels but I don't mind plastic clamp on weights on a lesser wheel (like my flat face wheels with chrome peeling off where old metal weights used to be )
You need to ask your shop what they use. If they don't have the right stuff look elsewhere. A dealer might be safer but ask them anyhow, I'm sure they vary like tires shops in what equipment they use.
While speaking about tire shops another pet peeve! Some shops still use an air driver to tighten lug bolts. This can ruin the threads on hubs and strip threads on lug bolts if a torque limiter is not used (the best way is a hand torque wrench) so while you are speaking with a potential tire shop (try to get the foreman) tell them to not overtorque the lugs if you plan on leaving your car for tire work! You can't believe how awful threads look after they get slammed down at 150+ ft lbs. And getting them off is a real ***** if one breaks off as its been known to do with the long bolts that come on some Mercedes.

__________________
'95 E320 Wagon my favorite road car. '99 E300D wolf in sheeps body, '87 300D Sportline suspension, '79 300TD w/ 617.952 engine at 367,750 and counting!

I wonder how they look - do you have a pic?
Waxing wheels puts you in the category of one who strives for perfection (I have done it too!) Then you may want to check out ceramic brake pads, a friction material that are quiet, smooth and have low fade over a wide temperature range (well, at low temps I think maybe the soft MB pads excel but they are so dirty!)
Best thing is that ceramic pads leave VERY little dust and its not the black thick dust that OE pads leave, its a very light grey powder that won't burn into the wheel. That is why waxing helps prevent brake dust that comes off at high temperature from burning into the metal surface, it sticks to the wax.
I will never go back to using regular (ie. cheap) pads on a "high end" vehicle. I'll gladly pay the added price for ceramic pads, in this case you do get what you pay for, added safety. Contrary to what some have said, ceramic pads don't eat up rotors, its bad driving habits that eat up rotors, unless you use (Metal Mater pads).
I use Akebono ceramics on my 124 (with new almost pristine CLK wheels) and PBR Ceramics on a 123 chassis. There are other high performance ceramic pads on the market but I can't recall the manufacturer now. For some reason PBR ceramics are back ordered 4 months so I recently had to use PBR deluxe pads which are another low dust pad but not ceramic, and are my second choice for pads.
Here's a link to brake stuff at the tirerack:
http://www.tirerack.com/brakes/index.jsp

__________________
'95 E320 Wagon my favorite road car. '99 E300D wolf in sheeps body, '87 300D Sportline suspension, '79 300TD w/ 617.952 engine at 367,750 and counting!

First do a google search on "Wheel Weights Mercedes".

You will find that several vendors mfg. plastic coated weights to fit MB rims.

Next go to www.gsp9700.com/ and click Locate a 9700.

They will have the proper weights and the Hunter 9700 will give you a vibration free balance job.

I have had at least 4 sets mounted and balanced with perfect results.

Steve